The city of Burlington is the most populous city in the state of Vermont and is located 45 miles (72 km) south of the Canada-USA border. We visited this charming town in the peak of Fall season in 2021.
- Lake Champlain
- Tallest filing cabinet
- The Bennington Battle Monument
Lake Champlain – Situated between the Adirondack Mountains of New York and the Green Mountains of Vermont, Lake Champlain is a prized possession for Vermonters and New Yorkers alike. The city of Burlington is located on this lake which is 120 miles long and has a width of 12 miles at its widest point. In addition to providing drinking water to approximately 200,000 people, there are 318 species of birds that live on, near, or depend on Lake Champlain. It has over 90 species of fish and is considered one of the best bass fishing lakes in the Northeast.
There are a couple of lighthouse located at the two ends of the breakwater on the lake. Both can be viewed from the shore or on a boat ride. Wooden lighthouses were first placed on both ends of the breakwater in 1857, and in 1890 a lighthouse was also placed in the middle of the breakwater. Over the years, the wooden structures could not survive the constant elements of strong winds, ice, and even fires. Both lighthouses were rebuilt using steel to withstand the weather elements that destroyed the earlier versions while keeping the original structural pleasing designs intact.
Tallest Filing Cabinet – Built in 2002 by local artist Bren Alvarez, the filing cabinet is made up of 38 drawers, with each one representing the number of years of paperwork that Alvarez accumulated while working on a local street project. While Alvarez’s piece proudly claims to be the tallest filing cabinet on earth, it’s unclear if that is actually the case, since other works of art also claim the same title. In 2020, the filing cabinet was moved a few hundred feet west to make way for construction on the Southern Connector. It now sits in the parking lot at 208 Flynn Ave.
The Bennington Battle Monument – A Vermont owned State Historic Site, the Bennington Battle Monument is 306 feet 4.5 inches tall and was completed and dedicated in 1891. It is constructed from blue grey magnesium limestone. The Monument was built to commemorate the Battle of Bennington, which took place on August 16, 1777. The resounding Patriot victory led up to the Battle of Saratoga, where British General John Burgoyne’s weakened army was forced to surrender. Saratoga is considered to be the turning point in the Revolutionary War and the triumph at Bennington made it possible.
You can take the elevator to the top of the monument for views in every direction. You can buy tickets to go up the elevator from the visitor center/gift shop.
